Rebuilding their depth

After early season injuries, defensive line shaping up

11:39 PM,
Oct. 1, 2012

Florida State Seminoles defensive tackle Demonte McAllister tackles South Florida Bulls running back Lindsey Lamar in second-half action of last Saturday's game in Tampa. FSU allowed 268 total yards, including just 124 after the first quarter, in the 30-17 victory.

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When college football analysts proclaimed during the preseason that Florida State might have the nation's best defensive line, they were basing that partly upon the prowess of starting defensive ends Brandon Jenkins and Bjoern Werner and partly upon the depth of the entire segment.

So when Jenkins were down with a foot injury in the first game of the season and a handful of returning defensive tackles were sidelined by injuries as well, there were questions about whether there might be a drop-off at the Seminoles' deepest position.